Cliche
by garryp
Summary: "Try to woo her" Mira taught the fire mage. But, how is he supposed to do that? Nothing pleases her. Falling in love was easy but how much easy it would be for Natsu to make Lucy fall in Love with him? Nalu  and other pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, everybody! I'm back again with a new Fairy Tail fanfic. It's NaLu, this time. Before I go on with my first chapter, I would like to thank all the people who put my previous Fairy Tail fanfic in their fav story lists. Thanks to all! That's certainly encouraging! **

**Disclaimer:I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters. **

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><p>It's a story of a famous mage guild in the country of Fiore, Fairy Tail- the strongest, the unbeatable, the problematic and probably the ONLY mage guild in the merchant city of Magnolia- an abode of many hooligans, its existence always had been an eyesore to the people of Magnolia and the Mage Council too. If you ever saw a ruined building, a sunken ship, a devastated town, a blasted railway track, a smashed-up harbor or sometimes, may be just any huge crater where there supposedly some structure existed, then the Fairy Tail mages obviously had been there earlier. Everyone could safely assume it. Where there's trouble-just name it- they would always be the part of the main picture. Everyone knew it. But then, it was an undeniable fact that the Fairy Tail mages were the only one who could protect them from any danger inflicted on them and the town. They would come with a bang, resolve the crisis and leave with a blast, literally. Damn those Fairy Tail idiots! Always overdoing the things! The townspeople complained as those Fairy Tail mages had been disrupting their peaceful daily routine for many years unfailingly. It's a story of a boisterous mage guild, Fairy Tail and their unruly mages.<p>

_**A day in Fairy Tail. **_

"I dare you say that again, you flame head!" A raven-haired boy shrieked.

"You wanna fight?" the pink-haired boy glared at him.

"Fight!" A blue winged cat exclaimed in the middle of the confusion.

"Do_ you_ wanna pick a fight with me?" the ice mage hit him back with his own question.

"Don't copy my lines, ice stripper. Get your own." His rival retorted. "And your pants too!" He pointed at his almost naked body.

"Damn!" the ice mage realized that he had only his boxers on his body.

"Perv…" the fire mage laughed at him but was soon silenced by a huge snowball that sent him flying in the air.

"You jerk, Grayyy!" Natsu's body flamed with anger. He charged at Gray with his flaming hand, just to hit him hard on his face but the ice mage was quick and he avoided the attack easily without even being touched. "Don't dodge!" Natsu hissed.

"Watch where you going!" the ice mage smirked. The fire mage looked at the man in front of him. Elfman!

"A man should fight with his manly fists." Elfman was revved up on seeing the fight of those two boys. He stood up. "Isn't here any man who can have a fight with me?" Shit! Natsu was running at his top speed, it was impossible for him to avoid himself from hitting him.

"You're in the way!" Natsu hit him.

"Show your manhoooo…" and there went away Elfman breaking through the guild's roof, he soared high into the clear sky of Magnolia leaving behind a faint twinkle.

"Look, Elfman has become a star." Wendy exclaimed with delight.

"Why should Elfman have all the fun?" another member screamed.

"Yeah. Let's fight." Everyone agreed and started smashing up the beer mugs, furniture and the guild.

That was a normal day in Fairy Tail, as lively as ever-all the members would be engaged in drinking, fighting and breaking each others' bones and jaws for no any special reason in particular. It happened all the time. And that was what a certain stellar mage was thinking.

"It happens all the time." She sighed.

"Every one of them is so full of energy." The pretty bartender chuckled while cleaning a china plate. "Ne, Lucy, how is it going on in between you and Natsu? Getting along well, I think."

"Lucyyy, move awayyy!" Lucy saw the fire mage hurtling towards her. She ducked down immediately but too bad for Mirajane, she didn't see the incoming fire mage and so had a collision with him that knocked her down.

"Kyaaah! Mirajane-SAAANN!" the blonde screamed in horror. She ran to help the bartender to stand on her feet.

"I'm fine." Mira gave her a weak smile.

"Hey Gray," the fire mage jumped on the bar counter. He was slightly injured in the crash while Mira took the whole damage. "Look what you did? It's your fault."

"You shouldn't have started it at the first place." Gray retaliated.

"You started it all, bastard."

"Lucy. You tell!" they asked her together.

"Cut it out you two, will you?" Lucy gave them an angry look.

"Hai!" both gulped. "As friendly as ever."

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><p>"Luce, why are you still angry?" the pink haired boy asked the blonde who walked her way out of the guild hurriedly. "I already apologized to Mira." He followed her. "I apologized to you too." She didn't speak. She continued walking with her arms crossed before her chest. "I won't do it again."<p>

"Now, that's next to impossible for you." She stopped walking and turned back. "Natsu Dragneel, you damaged half of the furniture of the guild." She started counting. "You torn the bar apart, uprooted one of the pillars of the guild, knocked Mira unconscious, dispatched Elfman to some distant planet and broke only-god-knows-how-many-bones of the rest of the members. You turned the whole guild upside down!"

"You've an excellent memory, Lucy." The fire mage, totally amazed by her, started clapping.

"Aye! Aye!" Happy clapped along.

"Come, let's scoot off to your house and have a nice lunch together like a family." he threw his arms on her light shoulders. "Aye, Sir!" the winged cat said cheerfully. She stomped on Natsu's foot and pushed him away.

"Oww! Why did you do that?" he groaned. "I said I'm sorry, Lucy."

"Your ridiculous actions are none of my concern."

"So why are you still angry?" he was a bit confused.

"You're a brainless idiot!" She walked away, annoyed and agitated.

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><p>"And that was all what happened." Natsu told the pretty bartender. He looked at the stellar mage sitting at a distant table with Levy. "And she won't talk to me."<p>

"May be she wants you to try harder." She replied while cleaning the wine glasses. "Why would she want it?" Natsu snorted.

"You love her, right?" she asked him.

"No."He pulled his scarf up to hide the faint red color that had started appearing on his cheeks. Mira smiled at the boy's innocence.

"He liiikkkeesss ~~ her!" Happy cooed.

"Who taught you to roll your tongue?" Natsu spoke angrily.

"Don't keep these feelings to yourself only. You need to tell her." She told him. The boy looked at her with surprise. "You need to remind her why you are together." The fire mage couldn't understand her words.

"Try to woo her," She elaborated. "with flowers, chocolates, expensive presents or whatever."

"But Happy and I already gave her all the jewels we earned during our last job to pay off her house rents." He said flatly. Happy nodded in agreement.

"Just go after her." She was a little annoyed.

"Will that work?" he scratched his head. "The whole 'woo' thing? What if she gets more furious?" Natsu and Happy hugged each other and started trembling with fear.

"She's your nakama. She can't be angry at you for too long." She smiled.

"You're right, Mira!" he jumped with happiness.

"By the way, does it hurt?" he pointed at the wound on her forehead that was covered by a band-aid.

"I'm doing fine." She smiled nervously.

"Good!" he waved her goodbye and went away.

She turned back. _Let's check the calendar._ Her fingers danced over it and stopped at a particular date. _Ano, Valentine's Day is approaching_. A wicked smile crept up on her gentle lips. _I see._

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><p><strong>How was it? Liked it? Tell me. Leave a review or just PM me. Your feedback would be very welcome.<strong>

**Natsu: Who's Valentine? **

**Lucy: No idea!**

**Natsu: And why does he have a whole day to himself only?**

**Lucy: -punches him at the back of his head- How would I know?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello friends! I was really surprised to see the number of people who put my story in their fav stories' lists and story alerts' lists. Thanks to you all! **

**Thanks for reviews Anyways, guys; this is the second chapter of this fanfic. ! I've tried to upload this chapter two times already, but the URL was old or broken or whatever, it just wasn't displayed on FanFiction site. Now, this is my third attempt and so, I keep fingers crossed hoping that it'd be finally uploaded.**

**Enjoy!**

**And leave a review! I'm happy knowing that people read my fanfic. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**

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><p>"Try to woo her!" Mira's words had been recorded in Natsu's brain and he kept replaying them again and again and again. "Try…to…woooooo…her!" he mumbled while thinking. "Try." He continued. "Woo her" he scratched the back of his head. Everyone in the guild got curious and started looking at him. "Try to woo her!" he started banging his head on the bar counter. "Try to woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!"<p>

"Aaah! It's stupid. " Natsu screamed. His brain reached its thought-processing limit.

"Hey Natsu! What are you so worke…" Warren went to comfort Natsu. But, the fire mage's mind had already started bursting into flames due to non-stop replay of Mira's words in his puny brain and what frustrated him more that he couldn't understand a thing what she said. He threw his flaming punch at the approaching counselor's face that sent him flying high in the air. "I know only to break stuffs. And you suppose me to know everything. " the dragon slayer started spewing fire.

"Hey Natsu! Cut it out already!" The ice mage walked to him. "You will burn the whole guild down!"

"You wanna fight?" the pink-haired boy looked at him, his eyes filled with a murderous intent.

"Seriously, do you have a brain" he said, annoyed at his rival's simple mindedness. "Or you just melted it down?"

"Talk about yourself, ice stripper!" Natsu shouted.

"That's it!" Gray was aggravated by the fire mage's obtuseness. "Have it in your way!" he pounced at the fire mage, pulled him by his scarf and punched hard on his face. The fire mage punched him back that made his rival to lose his grip on the scarf. He then shot him back with a flaming ball of fire that made the ice mage to fall on the floor some distance away. The ice mage jumped back on his feet. "Ice Make: Ice Floor!" A thick layer of ice covered the floor of the bar that made it difficult for the fire mage to control his balance, eventually collapsing on the floor. He tried to get up but fell again.

"You jerk!" he rolled on the floor like a bowling ball and knocked the ice mage down. "Strike!"

"Bastard!" he glided gracefully over the floor and punched the fire mage in his belly. Natsu punched him back. They kept slapping and punching each other frantically while sliding on the ice floor.

_They are fighting again!_ Everyone thought.

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><p>"Damn that Stripper!" Natsu cursed the ice mage as Happy placed the ice pack over his bruises on his face. "Oww! Happy, stop that!" he wailed like a small child.<p>

"Natsu, this is for your good only. Ice will keep the bruises from spreading." The blue cat sounded very reasonable.

"I hate ice!" Natsu shouted at him. "How can you forget that?"

"I'm sorry. I was just trying to be helpful." The cat said in a low voice, ready to break into tears at any moment. The fire mage felt everyone's stern gaze upon him that soon made him realize that he was too loud and had almost screamed at that little poor thing.

"I'm sorry, Happy." He said apologetically. "I'm such an idiot, always hurting people around me. Guess that's why Lucy's angry at me." He sighed. "She's been driving me crazy. She's not talking, even looking at me."

"Lucy?" The blue cat looked back at him with wide eyes. "You loveee~~ her~?"

"No. I don't love her." the fire mage declined quickly. "It's just I've been feeling so alone and empty without her. I mean she's my team member, so it's only obvious that I'm having these feelings right now." The pink-haired dragon slayer tried to find a plausible excuse. _Idiot!_ The blue cat thought.

"Fine! I'll help you." Happy declared.

"Will you?" Natsu asked him, finding it difficult to believe for a moment.

"Aye, Sir!" Happy exclaimed.

"So, you'll help me to woo her."

"Definitely. I'll help you to woooo... Wait! What?" The blue cat stopped jumping in the air. "Woo? What's that?"

"Like the hell I would know!" Natsu slammed his fist hard on the bar counter.

"Chhe!" A certain mage reached the bar counter and sat at the chair, spreading his legs carelessly while sitting down. His clothes were in tatters and he had a lot of piercings all over his face.

"What was that for, you iron head?" the fire dragon slayer scowled at him.

"You don't know what does 'woo' mean?" he asked him.

"I know, Mira told me everything. It's…it's …." Natsu tried to recall her words but it only put more pressure on his brain, leading him to no place at all. "Oh heck!" he started pulling his hair like a madman.

"You're so idiot." The iron dragon slayer scoffed. "No wonder that you don't know the meaning of 'woo', let alone be wooing a girl."

"Why don't you tell me, Mr. know-it-all?" Natsu pointed out to him.

"When a man woos a woman, he gives her a lot of attention in order to persuade her to like him back, to return back his feelings." A small, black cat jumped on the bar-counter and walked to the fire dragon slayer. "And since women are materialistic creatures, men can win their heart by buying them expensive items like…hmm…"

"Like fish." Happy jumped with delight.

"No, I'm talking about humans." Panther-lily refused the blue cat's idea. "Female humans like jewels more."

"See, my cat is more intelligent than _**your**_ cat." The pierced dragon slayer said admiringly. "And he's more fearsome than_**your**_cat."

"Happy is the most-liked cat in the whole world." Natsu argued. "And he can break _**your**_ cat's bones just in one jab."

"I can't." Beads of sweat started forming on Happy's forehead.

"Oh Yeah! How about a duel between your and my cat and let's see who wins!" Gajeel snickered.

"You're on!" Natsu smirked darkly.

"Excuse me! But I don't believe in useless fights." Pantherlily interrupted the dragon slayers.

"Thank goodness!" Happy wiped the sweat drops on his forehead.

"Whaddya mean?" Gajeel barked at his companion cat. "You're my cat. Just beat that idiot's cat's ass off."

"You heard me." He said calmly. He jumped on the floor and started walking away. "I'm not hot-headed like you. I don't believe wasting my energy in these futile fights."

"See, your cat's such a pussy." Natsu laughed at Gajeel.

Natsu's comment ticked the black cat off. "However," Pantherlily turned round and walked back to them. Happy's heart started beating faster. "I don't mind participating in a strategy game."

"Strategy game?" Everyone repeated his last words.

"Yeah. Strategy game. Like chess." He said. "No blood. No ruthless breaking of bones. Just brain power."

"That sounds boring." Natsu complained. Gajeel nodded in agreement.

"It's not. Not when you are involved in it." he explained further. "I'll be Gajeel's Cupid and Happy will be yours. It will be our duties to help our individual partners to help them woo the girl of their choice. One who wins the heart of his girl before the other will be the winner of this game." Happy looked at him in awe as he understood the other cat's real intentions.

"Cupid?" Natsu gave him a puzzled look. "You mean, that naked baby in diaper who has wings and shoots arrows at people."

"Yes." he said."More or less!"

"Happy!" Natsu exclaimed. "Are you ready for this?"

"Aye, Sir! I'll be your Cupid." Happy nodded. "But, I won't wear diapers."

"I'm fired up." Natsu grinned and looked at other dragon slayer. "What about you?"

"Challenge accepted." Gajeel gave a wide grin similar to Natsu's. "Gihik!"

Both cats exchanged smiles.

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><p><strong>OMG! First it was Mira and now, Happy, Pantherlily! What's going on! Oh Natsu!<strong>

**BTW, what do you think what would help Natsu to win her lady's heart back? Flowers or fire dragon's iron fist? **

**Gajeel's back in the game. Yipee!**

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><p><strong>Happy: Natsu! –Shoots arrows at him-<strong>

**Natsu: What are you doing Happy? –Dodges his arrows-**

**Happy: I'm your Cupid-cat, Natsu. Don't avoid them. –Shoots faster-**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone! I know It took a long time to update my story. There were some problems. Obviously! And they still exist. But, I still apologize to my patient readers who've put this story in their story alert lists. Thanks to those who have put it on their fav story lists! **

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><p>"Natsu!" Gasping for air, Lucy woke up in the middle of the dark night, with her eyes wide open. One of her hand was stretched out in the air- the palm was folded in a manner as if she was holding someone very tightly while her other hand clutched the blanket close to her chest. She looked out of her window, it was still dark. She let out a sigh as she ran her hand through her ragged blond hair. Her hand stopped midway as she felt the moisture in her fingers. <em>Sweat!<em> She wiped off the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead, with the sleeve of her night gown. She slumped back on the bed. "It was a bad dream."She turned around and looked at the full moon that was shining so magnificently in the night sky. She closed her eyes.

"A bad dream." She mumbled. "Indeed."

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><p>"Natsu, how long are you planning to just laze around and doing nothing?" The ice mage stomped up the stairs and slammed his fists hard on the bar counter where the pink haired boy was slouched over.<p>

"Chhe." Natsu scoffed at him. "Can't you just go on a mission on your own… without someone to babysit you? Or is it that you're too afraid that your fragile body won't be able to handle all the heat in the battle."

"I can handle a lot of heat than you can ever imagine, Bastard." He clenched his fists. "And it's you who always need a babysitter on your rides. Not me!" Gray's anger flared up. "You and your stupid motion sickness!"

"It's your stripping habit that's stupid." Natsu quickly retorted. He straightened his back and sat straight on the chair facing his team mate. "Always stripping off and walking naked around the guild."

"At least I'm not a fool who wears a ridiculous scarf throughout the year." He had raised his voice high enough to match Natsu's. "Even in summer?"

Natsu stared at him blankly.

"What?"

"I wear a scarf too."

Gray slapped his face with his own hand. "I WAS talking about YOU, fool!"

_**Another corner of the guild. **_

"Will I meet someone or will I be alone this year again?" the male mage asked the woman impatiently.

"This year." She spoke with the smooth eloquence. "You won't be alone."

The mage jumped in happiness. "So, I'll get a girl this time. I won't be alone this valentine's day." He ran out of the crowd that surrounded her. He was shouting at the top of his voice. "Yipee! I'll get a GIRRRRL!"

"Lucky bastard!" Macao, who was sitting beside her on the same table, mumbled.

"You gave him wings, Cana." Wakaba was sitting next to Macao.

"I didn't say he'll get a girl." She smirked. "He just won't be alone." She said casually while collecting up her cards from the table. "It could even be a candle light dinner with a pig in the sty."

"That was cruel." Wakaba laughed, puffing the smoke from his cigar.

"Cana!" a shy voice came. "Are you busy?"

"Hn." She kept arranging her cards without even bothering to turn around to look at the boy. "Well, ahh…okay." He turned away. But a girl came in his way and stopped him.

"Don't, Alzack." Cana's ears perked up when she heard the name. She turned around and looked at them. Bisca shoved him in the direction of the brown-haired mage. "Just ask her!" Cana stared at him. Her face held no expression.

"I…I…" The boy stammered. "I wanted to ask if you can look into our …I mean… my… my future."

She was still staring.

"Will you?"

She didn't even blink.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He realized very soon that it would a grave mistake to bug her further. "You're busy. I know you told me. Sorry. Sorry again." He stepped back, but hesitated to walk away because he could feel the angry glares that the girl standing behind him was giving. He gulped and decided to give it one last try. "Ahh…But…ah… Can you…"

"Pick a card!"

"What?" he looked at her with surprise. She stared at him coldly-her eyes were _saying I won't repeat myself_. _Pick a card and be done with it!_ "Okay." He leaned forward and picked up a card. She took it from his hands quickly. She studied the card deeply. "What does it say?" The boy asked but she didn't say anything. "Cana!" he spoke a little loud. She looked at him angrily. The boy retreated back and hid behind his team mate who in turn kept her hands over his shoulders to relax him.

"What does it say?" Bisca asked her politely.

"Well. I see a girl." _A girl! _Alzack's eyes widened. He turned his face to look at the other side, not letting Cana to see the blush that had crept up his face already. The green haired girl felt the heat rising in the boy's hands that were around her arm. She blushed at the feeling. The brunette smiled on seeing them. "A girl with black hair." She revealed.

"What did you say?" Alzack looked perplexed_. I won't repeat._ She told him with her eyes. "Black hair? But…" his breath caught in his chest when he heard the sniffs of a girl.

"Bis…!" Alzack called her name. She looked at him; her bottom lip quivered and her eyes brimmed with tears. His hands reached out to touch her face, to calm her, to make her feel better but she backed away. "Bisca!" She ran away. "Bisca! Bisca!" he called her name again and again but she was already out of his sight. The boy looked at Macao, Wakaba and then at the female mage helplessly.

"Go after her, kid!" Macao said. He nodded and paced away hurriedly. "You know," Macao turned to Cana. "You could have told them a lie or…"

"Or nothing at all." Wakaba completed his sentence.

"They wanted to know." She said indifferently. "And I let them know. I can't lie about what I see." She started picking up her cards.

"Hey!" A sweet voice fell on her ears. "Good morning, Cana!" She looked up and smiled at the girl who had greeted her. "What do we have here?" the blonde looked at the cards curiously. She reached out to pick one.

"Lucy , no!" the card mage tried to stop her but it was too late. The stellar mage had the card in her hands already. "Are you practicing a new technique?" She looked at it with utter amazement.

"Here, give it to me." She snatched the card from her hands. She looked at the card, then at Lucy, again the card and then Lucy. She shook her head. "Chhe!" her mouth twitched.

"What?" Lucy asked her nervously.

"Death." She said. "It says you will face death."

"Death?" Lucy looked horrified but somehow she managed to put a smile on her face, a failed attempt clearly. "Well, our lives are always at stake on the missions. That's nothing new."

"You'll face death today!" she continued. "And it'll be someone close to you who'll be responsible." Lucy could feel the hair on the back of her neck rising. Lately, she had been haunted by the bad dreams every night. Being dead was the worst nightmare she ever had but Cana's words made her feel more certain that they were not just ordinary nightmares. She was going to die and it was going to happen soon, very soon.

"Make a way!" Someone howled. "Make a way!" Lucy turned her head in the direction from where the voice came. Someone was hurtling towards her, cutting through the crowd, tossing up the guild members in the air like pieces of jigsaw puzzle. _"Tornado?"_ she thought. "Come with me!" someone whispered in her left ear. _What?_ She felt the strong arms wrapped around her thin waist and in the blink of an eye, she was swept away from the guild.

_What happened?_ Everyone coughed, forcing out the dirt and the dust that had filled their throats and noses.

"Come back, flame head." The ice mage shouted. "I'm not done yet."

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><p>"Lucy!" the boy patted the cheeks of the girl who was lying unconscious before him. "Lucy, Wake up! She's still dazed."<p>

"Try these socks, Natsu." Another voice said. "She'll wake up on their smell."

"Ack! Gross! They smell so bad."Natsu covered his nose with his white scarf. "Whose socks are these?"

"You won't wanna know." He giggled.

"Okay, I'll do it."

_Socks?_ "Keep them away from me!"Lucy woke up with her hands covering her face. "No socks, please!" She looked at the people standing before her. Natsu and Happy.

"And she's all fine." The blue cat said.

"It is okay, Lucy. No socks." He waved his hands before her. "See. No socks. I was kidding."

Lucy was about to punch him bad but she was too tired to do so. She got up on her feet and started walking. She looked at her surroundings. They were standing atop a high hill in the middle of some arid, featureless desert. The desert was uninhabited as anyone could see; she could hardly find any sign of life other than themselves. "Where am I?" she muttered.

"On a mission." Natsu grinned.

"What kind of mission do we have in this place?"She looked at him with disbelief.

"It's about life and death, Lucy!"

"I don't see anything here that has some life in it." She screamed. _Meow! _"But, death, you'll surely face it if you don't take me out of this desert." _Meow! Meow!_ "Stop making noises, Happy!" she glared at the cat.

"What?" Happy asked. "I didn't do anything." She looked at him. _Meoww!_ The voice came again but Happy hadn't moved his lips a bit.

"How are you doing that?" she looked surprised.

"Doing what?" _Meow!_ Again, the voice came and Happy was still standing before her with his mouth shut. "That!" she pointed at him. "How can you say Meowww when you aren't even opening your mouth?"

"I'm not your Tom cat, Lucy. I can speak. I don't just Meow!" Disgusted, he said. "It's coming from there." He pointed at the old tree that was standing firmly, tall and proud on the top of the hill they were standing on. A little white cat was sitting on the branch of the tree.

"Neko?" She said. "What's she doing there?"

"She lost her way home. Our mission is to save that kitty." Natsu said. "And Lucy, you're our only hope."

**_Moments later._**

"Tell me again, why are we here?" Lucy said with a shaky voice as she put her left foot in the crack of the trunk of the tree. "Are you sure the client wanted mages to for this mission?"

"It was a request by a small girl who lives around my house." The pink haired boy said. "She was so sad. I couldn't say no to her."

Couldn't say no to her? Well, that's Natsu for you. He can't see anyone unhappy around himself. Lucy sighed and put another feet on the branch as she climbed up the tree. "That means there are no jewels in it for us."

"What a bad thing to say!" Happy said. "Lucy won't do a job if she doesn't get any jewel in return."

"Shut up, Kitty! Do you want me to kill you?" She shouted. "What am I even doing up here when Happy can easily fly and save this kitty?"

"I would have helped but my magic power has drained away after carrying both of you." Happy said with an excuse. "I could have some power left if I had to carry Natsu only but." He paused for a moment and looked at her. Lucy knew what he was going to say." You were so heavy..."

"Okay, okay. I got it." She didn't let him complete his sentence. "I got it." She moved forward on the branch where the cat was sitting. "Nice kitty. Nice kitty. Come to mommy." She called for the cat. "Come to mommy." _Meow!_ The cat rose up and moved further away from her.

"Damn!" She cursed under her breath and crawled over the branch further to reach the cat. She was afraid, really afraid. She wasn't afraid of getting hurt; it was the height she was much afraid of. She looked down and found that the ground was so, so far away from her feet. One fall would finish it all. She closed her eyes, trying to avoid looking at the ground below.

"Lucy, what are you doing?" her partner screamed from the ground below. "Keep moving! Save the kitty!"

"That's what I'm doing, Natsu!" she shouted back at him angrily. She looked before her. The cat was sitting at the farther edge of the branch. Lucy shook the branch lightly and then vigorously. It was strong and there was no way it was going to break. She gave out a sigh and relaxed her hand muscles. "You can do it, Lucy!" She talked to herself. "You have kicked asses of so many villains. You aren't going to lose this one." She strengthened her grip around the branch and started moving. "Kitty! Kitty! Come to mommy. Do you want a cookie?" The stellar mage spoke again, trying to allure the cat. The cat looked at her incredulously. "Yeah, cookie!" She smiled nervously. "I'll give you a cookie. Come to mommy." The cat stepped back. _Meow!_ "Damn this kitty!" she jumped over the cat and caught her. "Got you!" she smiled with happiness but the branch started shaking terribly due to sudden increase in pressure. _Meow!_ The cat mewed. "Don't be afraid" Lucy spoke. _Meow_! Her words didn't calm the kitty. "It's not going to bre..." WRONG! The branch broke and Lucy fell down but she grabbed another branch of the tree quickly while holding the cat in her other hand. But, that branch wasn't as strong as the previous one and it started breaking from the middle. "Damn!" She said. _Meow_! "Shut up, you fat little kitty!" she scolded the cat. The cat looked at her angrily and bit her hand. "Oww! " her hands released the cat. "Heyy!" She looked down at the ground to find if the cat fell down but she could find no trace of her.

"I'm not fat, missy!" some voice came. Lucy looked above and found the kitty flying. _She's got wings._ "And I don't like cookies." _She can talk._ The cat started flying away from her.

"Hey, don't leave me hanging down here. I'm here because of you. " Lucy screamed at her. The cat gave her a cold glare. "Help me! I'll give you a fish." The cat flew away.

"Oh dear god!" The blonde started praying. "I don't want to die. Not like this! I wanted to die on a bed at the age of 85, not from falling off the tree." She looked at the ground_. It's too high._ Her vision started getting blurred and her head started spinning around. She felt dizzy and her grip on the branch weakened. "Natsu! Happy! Somebody save me!" Her voice fainted. She got unconscious and started falling down. _Somebody save me!_

"Lucyy!" Natsu ran to catch her. He stretched out his hands but she was out of his reach and continued falling down the hill.

"Natsu, you missed." Happy said.

"I've to save her." He ran and jumped off the hill. "Lucy!" he screamed her name but he couldn't see her anywhere. _Where's she?_ Natsu fell flat on his face on the sandy ground. "Ackk!" he spat out the sand grains out of his mouth. "Lucy!" he called her name and looked around. "Lucy!" He looked above. "Lucy!"

"She's here." A voice came from his behind. The fire mage turned around and his eyes widened when he saw the person. He was holding the stellar mage in his arms in bridal style!

"Loki!" Natsu said.

"Yeah. I sensed that she was in danger." He spoke. "And, so I came running as fast as I could."

"Oh!" Natsu looked sad.

"Hmm!"Lucy started shifting uneasily in his arms. "Lucy!" Loki said. She looked at the person who was holding her. "Hello, princess! Slept well?"

"Loki? What are you doing here?" she realized that he had been holding her in his arms. "Put me down. NOW!"

"As you say, Master." Loki put her down gently. "But, you should be grateful. I saved you."

"Oh,thank…"

"Natsu!" Happy came flying. "Did you catch Lucy?"

"No, I caught her." Loki smirked.

"You ruined the whole plan, Loki." the blue cat quickly put his paws over his mouth as if he said something that he wasn't supposed to say.

"Plan?" Lucy looked confused. She looked at Natsu who was avoiding looking at her. "What plan?" She was lost.

"Plan?"Natsu repeated her words. "Did you say plan, Happy? No. He didn't. He said mission." He said nervously. "You ruined the mission, Lucy. You didn't save the kitty."

"But, the cat flew away." Lucy pouted. "Who knew that she had wings?"

"I knew that." Natsu blurted out. The realization came later.

"Natsu!" Happy said.

"You knew that!" Lucy stared at him. "You knew that the whole time."

"Happy, Run!" Natsu fled away.

"Aye, sir!" Happy followed him.

"Natsuuuuu!" She screamed. "I'll kill you!"

* * *

><p>"Have we lost her?" Natsu stopped running and rested for a while, trying to catch his breath. He was panting heavily. They've reached the station.<p>

"I think so." Happy said. "Let's board this train." Natsu nodded and they went inside it.

"You guys took so long!" The blonde girl, who was sitting on the seat, said. They were horrified when they saw her. How did she come here before us? They thought. "Let's take a ride!"

"Lucyy!" Natsu screamed. "I'm sorry. Don't do this to me." Virgo tied him and Happy with a rope upon the bogie of the train.

"Aye! We're sorry, Lucy!" the blue cat pleaded.

"All done, Hime-san!" The girl dressed in the maid's costume said. "Now, Shall I be punished?"

"No, Virgo. You can go now! " The spirit obliged her obediently and disappeared. "Have a happy journey, Natsu!" Lucy bade them goodbye.

"Happy, I thought your 'Damsel in distress' plan would work. You told me to get her in a danger, save her and then she'll fall for me."

"It'd have worked if you had caught her before Loki." Happy said. "I was trying to help you."

"You're right." Natsu said disappointedly. "I'm sorry, Happy. It was my and only my fault."

"Natsu."Happy looked at his best friend worryingly. He realized that he had hurt his friend's feelings. But then, the iron wheels screeched and their bodies jerked back. The train was going to move. Natsu's face turned pale and then green. "That's not good."

* * *

><p><strong>Aww! Poor Natsu! How is he supposed to win Lucy's heart when she has so many obedient and sticky celestial spirits at her service? Next update won't take longer. At least, not longer than this one.<strong>

**Loki: Your plan wasn't half bad, Natsu. You've to work on timing, though.**

**Natsu: Loki! *points his finger at Loki* You're my rival in love!**

**Juvia: That's Juvia's line!**


	4. Chapter 4

**See, I told you next update won't take longer. This chapter is going to be the most hilarious of all; I hope you find it so. **

* * *

><p>One moment, the blonde was standing petrified at her place with her mouth agape as she saw the danger rushing menacingly towards her at an unbelievable speed and within another moment, she was nowhere to be seen. A cloud of dust rose in the air as the strong wind gushed out of the guild door.<p>

"What was that?" Macao coughed out the dirt that filled his throat.

"Beats me!" Wakaba rubbed his eyes.

"Come back, flame head." The ice mage shouted. "I'm not done yet." _Guess that explains!_ Everyone thought.

The guild members went back to their seats and the atmosphere of the guild became normal- drinking shamelessly, passing insults, indulging in useless fights, breaking furniture, smashing each other's heads and breaking bones recklessly - as if nothing happened. However, there was one guild member who was still looking at the road outside- Panther Lily.

"Bastard!" Gray mumbled. Lily looked at the ice mage who was standing still at his position. The ice mage stared at the door a little longer, cursed the fire mage again, then turned and walked back. The black cat sighed and jumped off the table. He started walking for the place known to him only. He took a stroll down the stairs that led to the basement of the guild. He passed the store room, maintenance room and other two rooms before his feet finally stopped at his destination. He was standing before a door. _Lunch room_. Actually, it was just another storeroom where all the junks and debris were dumped but Lily knew it as a Lunch room. He opened it only to find a certain Iron dragon slayer enjoying his midday meal.

"Lily!" Gajeel pretended to be surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same." Lily shut the door behind him. "What are you doing here?" The dragon slayer didn't pay much attention to him. He took another piece of metal and started eating it slowly and with relish_. This is going to be difficult._

"Natsu's gone out with Lucy and if everything goes right, they will come back in the guild holding hands together. And you do understand what does that mean?" Gajeel stopped eating. _Good, now I have his attention._ "You lose." Gajeel rose up on his feet and picked up Lily. "What are you doing? Put me down!" Lily tried to free himself from dragon slayer's firm iron grip but he kept walking. He walked upstairs, took a few turns and finally reached the library. He put the black cat on a table and went inside. Few minutes later, he came back.

"Here." He threw a pencil and paper before the cat. Lily couldn't understand the dragon slayer's intention.

"What is the meaning of all this?" he asked. "Want me to write a love letter for your girl on your behalf?"

"Like the hell, I would." Gajeel scoffed at the thought. "Write the names of all the female mages of this guild."

"What for?"

"I'll ask every one of them to go out with me." Gajeel stated proudly. Lily couldn't help but stare at his partner.

"Are you serious?" He asked.

"Dead."

"Don't flatter yourself." Lily said, trying hard not to lose his composure_. What's wrong with this idiot? Does he think he's the hottest stuff here? Even Natsu, who is the most dense and stupidest person by all standards, has chosen one girl. _"You got no chance before everyone. Pick one and then I can help you. If you're going to ask each and every one, then you have to do it on your own."

"Just do what I say." He ordered. "I'll get a girl at the end of the day and you'll see. Gihik!"

* * *

><p><strong><span>Round 1<span>**

_What a peaceful day!_ She was sitting at the center table of the guild hall room, savoring every mouthful of the strawberry cake that she bought for herself from the bakery shop that morning.

"Hey Erza!" And the dragon slayer approached her without knowing the fact that he had just dared to ruin her idea of peaceful morning. She didn't look away, her eyes fixated at the piece of the cake that was kept on the table before her.

"And what brings you here, Gajeel?" She scooped out the delicious cherry that was shining so brightly at the top of cake.

"I'm asking you this one time and I won't ask again." He said in a somewhat challenging tone. "Will you hang out with me?" What a great folly! Nobody dared to see what would happen next. His fate had been sealed.

"Why not?"She stood up from her seat smiling at him. He showed his thumbs up triumphantly to Lily but the look of pity that the cat was giving him back left him confused.

"You did it." The black cat said. Before the iron dragon slayer could discern what he had just heard, he felt the red demon towering over him. "Let it all hang out." She unsheathed her sword.

**Moments later…**

Gajeel was lying at the corner of the guild, whimpering pathetically. His one eye was swollen and jaw bones broken. His condition was no better than the stray dogs lying in the sewers of Magnolia.

"I told you." Lily cut the first name on the list. "She doesn't like you much." _What an understatement!_

**Round 2**

"Hey Mira!" Gajeel walked to the bar counter and slumped into the chair. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Gajeel!" She smiled while cleaning the wine glass. "It's a wonderful day today. Isn't it?" She put the glass back into the shelf and continued with other wine glasses. "So, you were saying something."

He looked at her. _A girl with gentle smile._ He looked more closely and there was something in her demeanor that suggested him otherwise. He quickly turned away and started walking in the opposite direction.

"What happened?" Lily stopped him but was taken aback when he saw the dragon slayer's face- it looked like he had an interview with the death itself. He could see the terror and fear in his partner's eyes.

"She is scary." Gajeel mumbled.

**Round 3**

"Geez! Are you listening to me?"He asked the drunken female mage. She had downed four mugs of beer while Gajeel tried to talk some sense with her.

"No!" she replied flatly while gulping the beer down her throat. _What a hassle!_ The pierced dragon slayer lifted the barrel in his one hand and leaned closer to the card mage.

"I'm asking you to go out with me." He said softly. His hot breath touched her face making her blush or so was what Lily thought. "So, will you?"

"Come closer." She smiled at him, her eyes glinting with mischief.

"What?" _I won't repeat._ Her eyes told him so. He complied and so leaned even more closely. Her breaths smelt of alcohol. Everyone looked at them wide-eyed_. Is she going to kiss him? Definitely._

"Put the barrel down and I'll let you live." She whispered into his ear. Gajeel looked at her and God! her eyes were telling that she wasn't lying. He put it down gently on the table.

"My Baby!" She hugged the barrel.

**Round 4**

"Where's she?" Gajeel searched for her over the whole guild. "How difficult could it be to find a green haired girl in this crowd?" And then, he spotted something green shining behind a pillar of the guild.

"Honey!" She adjusted her glasses and then put her hands on the shoulders of the statue standing before her. "How can you expect me to go out with you if you can't even ask me looking straight into my eyes?"

"Evergreen!" Bixlow said. "You're heartless! "

"Heartless! Heartless!"His puppets chanted.

"Give him some credit." He continued. "At least, he gathered up some courage to stand before you."

_But, that's just not enough._ She pecked on the statue's cheek as her hands trailed down his chest. "You're right." She stopped and turned around_. No one._ She looked for a while before turning her attention back to the statue. "Wasn't someone standing here just now?" She asked his partner.

_Damn Medusa!_ The dragon slayer was hiding behind the pillar, sweating heavily.

**Round 5**

"You must be out of your mind." The dragon slayer muttered. "You think this is funny." He lifted his cat and shook him violently. "She's a kid, Bastard."

"I know that much. I was talking about her." He pointed at the white cat sitting beside the little dragon slayer. Gajeel looked at him with disbelief.

"Are you twisted?" he shook him again, this time more aggressively. "I'm not doing that."

But, there was he standing before Carla with his head bowed down, staring down at his feet and mentally cursing the black cat.

"Hey kitty!" he scratched the back of his head. _I can't believe I'm doing this_. "Want to hang out with me?"

"Eh?" She looked at him with contempt. Everyone in the hall stared at him momentarily and then whole guild roared with laughter.

"This is absurd." He walked away, fuming with anger. "Tell me you were enjoying this." He walked to Lily. "Who's next?" He snatched the list from his hands and looked at the name. He lightened up a bit. "Gihik." As easy as pie.

**Round 6**

"Hey!…" Gajel's voice trailed off as he saw the creature before himself- a ten feet tall fat pink kangaroo with the face of a rabbit. "Lisanna, Is t-h-i-s you?"

"Yeah. I'm a kangaroo, see." Even a blind man could see that vibrant pink color of her fur. She jumped on the floor that shook the whole guild. The dragon slayer fell on his butt. "I'm working on to improve my technique." She hopped around him. "I'm trying to connect with the nature."

"So, how long are you going to stay like this?" Lily inquired.

"I wonder. Two hours." She balanced her weight on her tail. "Two days. Two weeks. Two months…"

"Let's go." Gajeel didn't stop to listen further. He walked away, rubbing his butt. "Such a pain in the butt, literally." Lily watched him going away.

"Did I do well?" Lisanna jumped back on her big kangaroo feet when she saw the dragon slayer departing. "Eh, Mira-nee?"

"You did well, Lisanna." Mira appeared who had been hiding behind the pillar. "May be now, he will approach the right girl."

"I wish the same." Lily turned around. "Thanks for your help, Mira-san!"

"Poor Gajeel!" The white haired girl transformed back to her usual self. "He looked so sad. I wish if I could help him. Don't you think we're doing wrong with him?"

"You helped him well, Lisanna." Mira said gently. "There's nothing wrong in what you did. He'll thank you for this someday. That's what Nakama are for." _And you'll thank me for saving you from that savage dragon slayer. That's what big sisters are for. _Mira smiled back at Lily who was staring at him. _She **IS** scary._ Lily made a mental note.

* * *

><p>"Damn!" The dragon slayer, who was resting on the stairs that led to the first floor, cursed. "Damn them! Why are the women of this guild so scary and weird? It's more difficult than I thought."<p>

"Well, you haven't asked every one yet." Lily said while checking the list. "There's one name left here on this list."

"Oh yeah? Who?" He sighed. But then, he remembered something and quickly straightened his back. "You're right. I haven't asked Lucy yet."

"What? Are you kidding me?" Lily almost screamed. "She's Natsu's girl."

"As if I care." He said.

"Let me tell you this straight." Lily jumped on his chest and grabbed him by his collar. "You're going to ask this last girl on the list." He slapped the list on his face. Gajeel took the page in his hand and read the name_. Levy McGarden._ "I'm not going." He crushed the page and threw it back.

* * *

><p>"I'll make you regret this."<p>

"I'd like to see that." Panther lily, who had transformed back to his Edolas form, had dragged the dragon slayer all the way to the library. "Now, go and ask her." He pushed him hard enough to make him fall over the table before her. Her legs curled up instantly on the chair she was sitting.

"Gajeel!" The blue haired girl looked surprised to see him but then she felt relieved. "You scared me. What are you doing here?"

He stood up and brushed his clothes with his hands. He looked at the girl who was staring at him curiously. Her deep dark brown eyes were so innocent and yet they appeared to probe deep into his soul. His heart started racing faster_. I've to be quick._ He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Will you go out with me?"

Levy looked at him, shocked._ Did he ask me out just now? No way._ She looked at him.

He was looking sideways. _Damn! I said it? I said it! I can't believe myself. Why did I do that? And why isn't she replying? Why is she looking at me like this? She's going to say no. No doubt about it. I'll be damned. And whose fault is this? Damn that cat!_ He turned around to walk away.

"Yes!" The reply came.

_Whaaat?_ She smiled. "I'll go out with you." She patted on his shoulders and walked away with her books. And the dragon slayer, well, his face showed the extreme surprise- not believing what he had heard.

"That was easy." Lily smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>Or maybe not. Hehehehahaha *coughcough - chokes on the spit - coughcough* <strong>

**I didn't bring up Bisca cause she hasn't recovered yet after Cana's prediction and Juvia, well, you know the deal with her.**

**When I said other pairings, then I meant it. They'll make an appearance very soon. So, who do you guys think I'll pair Lisanna with? Now, Lucy and Natsu are together in this fic. Any guesses? I'd like to hear them. Cookie for right guess! Tell me your opinion about this chapter. Which round did you like the most? Till then, Shoo Bi Doo Waaaaah! ;)**

**Gajeel: I told you I'll get a girl at the end of the day.**

**Lily: *smiles* Sorry to doubt your words. *crumbles the page containing the name list between his fingers***


End file.
